Desert GMU 290 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 42 deer taken in GMU 290 Desert in 2025, 42 of them on special permits. GMU 290 is 47.2% public land open to hunting, the largest share Bureau of Reclamation (72,474 acres), measured from WA DNR's public land maps.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WDFW reports for 1997 to 2025. Seasons and permits: WDFW's 2026 pamphlet with its April 2026 corrections. Land: WA DNR, 2026-10.
DNR state trust landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Bureau of ReclamationOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 290Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 2, North Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 184,174 acres (288 square miles) |
| Counties | Grant |
| Public land open to hunting | 47.2% (86,870 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 42 (46 in 2024) |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 7 hunts, 71 permits |
| Towns in and near it | George, Moses Lake, Warden and Royal City |
How many deer are taken in GMU 290?
WDFW reports 42 deer taken in GMU 290 in 2025, against 46 in 2024. The most in one year since 2007 was 47, in 2023. WDFW's figures average 44 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 35 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Deer taken, all hunts | General season | Special permit | Antlered | Antlerless | General-season hunters | Hunter days | Deer per 100 general hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | 0 | 42 | 21 | 21 | |||
| 2024 | 46 | 0 | 46 | 26 | 20 | |||
| 2023 | 47 | 0 | 47 | 24 | 23 | |||
| 2022 | 42 | 0 | 42 | 25 | 17 | |||
| 2021 | 45 | 0 | 45 | 20 | 25 | |||
| 2020 | 35 | 35 | 22 | 13 | ||||
| 2019 | 27 | 0 | 27 | 15 | 12 | |||
| 2018 | 34 | 0 | 34 | 15 | 19 | |||
| 2017 | 39 | 0 | 39 | 24 | 15 | |||
| 2016 | 38 | 38 | 21 | 17 | ||||
| 2015 | 32 | 0 | 32 | 21 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 37 | 0 | 37 | 17 | 20 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 2013 | 39 | 0 | 39 | 16 | 23 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2012 | 36 | 2 | 34 | 16 | 20 | 2 | 100 | |
| 2011 | 39 | 0 | 39 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 2010 | 40 | 1 | 39 | 19 | 21 | 1 | 100 | |
| 2009 | 39 | 39 | 21 | 18 | ||||
| 2008 | 43 | 0 | 43 | 16 | 27 | |||
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | not split out | 0 | 0 | 11 | 40 | 0 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 290, 2007 to 2025), read through WDFW's Hunt Planner harvest table. "All hunts" is WDFW's general plus special permit total where it publishes one (from 2008), otherwise the general season. Where WDFW gives no all-weapon hunter count, the hunters and days shown are its per-weapon counts added together. Deer per 100 general hunters is worked out from WDFW's own two figures. The averages above are of WDFW's yearly figures.
What size bucks come out of GMU 290?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 4-point: 9 of 21 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 21 |
| 2024 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 23 |
| 2022 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 17 |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 25 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 290 in 2026?
No general deer season is open to all hunters in GMU 290 in 2026.
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, with WDFW's April 2026 corrections. WDFW can change a season during the year: check WDFW's regulations page before you go.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 290?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 7 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 290, with 71 permits in all. The applicant counts and average points are the ones WDFW prints for the 2025 drawing; the 2025 results are from WDFW's harvest report for each hunt number.
| Hunt | Name and category | Tag | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Unit or area | 2026 permits | 2025 applicants / average points (WDFW) | 2025 result: hunters, deer taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1036 | Desert Quality Deer | Modern | Oct. 17-27 | Any Buck | GMU 290 | 10 | 2,471 / 14 | 15 hunters, 11 taken |
| 1037 | Desert Quality Deer | Modern | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | Any Buck | GMU 290 | 4 | 3,949 / 20 | 5 hunters, 5 taken |
| 1079 | Desert Quality Deer | Archery | Sept. 1-27 | Any Buck | GMU 290 | 8 | 343 / 12 | |
| 1080 | Desert Quality Deer | Archery | Nov. 14-22 | Any Buck | GMU 290 | 10 | 600 / 13 | 7 hunters, 1 taken |
| 1091 | Desert Quality Deer | Muzzleloader | Oct. 3-11 | Any Buck | GMU 290 | 2 | 507 / 14 | |
| 1428 | Desert Second Deer | Modern | Dec. 5-20 | Antlerless | GMU 290 | 25 | 1,782 / 7 | |
| 1528 | Desert Youth only | Modern | Dec. 5-27 | Antlerless | GMU 290 | 12 | 284 / 2 | 6 hunters, 6 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 27, 28, 32 and 36; WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer individual hunts, 2025). A hunt's 2025 result is shown only where the 2025 hunt had the same number and name.
How much public land is in GMU 290?
47.2% of GMU 290 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 86,870 of its 184,174 acres. The largest share is Bureau of Reclamation, 72,474 acres or 39.4% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 6,845 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 290 |
|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Reclamation | 72,474 | 39.4% |
| WDFW land | 7,551 | 4.1% |
| DNR state trust land | 6,845 | 3.7% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 801 | 0.4% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 5 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 290, by WDFW's own boundaries: Columbia Basin Wildlife Area (62,415 acres here; units Desert, Upland Restoration and Quincy Lakes).
Measured by FilledTag inside WDFW's GMU boundary (WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) from WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. Tribal land is not counted as public. National wildlife refuges, military land and "other public" land (state parks, county, city and other agencies) are not counted as open to hunting: each sets its own rules.
How do you get to GMU 290?
Highways through the unit: I-90 (about 31 miles inside it) and SR 262 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: George. Nearby: Moses Lake (2 miles), Warden (3 miles), Royal City (5 miles) and Quincy (9 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 290?
GMU 290 touches 2 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 272 | Beezley | 17.4% | 337 | 1,501 |
| GMU 278 | Wahluke | 20.8% | 95 | 362 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 290 in 2026?
GMU 290 has no general deer season open to all hunters in 2026; WDFW lists 7 special permit hunts that include it.
How many deer are taken in GMU 290?
WDFW reports 42 deer taken in GMU 290 in 2025: 21 antlered and 21 antlerless. The most in one year since 2007 was 47, in 2023.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 290?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 7 deer permit hunts for GMU 290: 1036 Desert (10 permits), 1037 Desert (4 permits), 1079 Desert (8 permits), 1080 Desert (10 permits), 1091 Desert (2 permits) and 1428 Desert (25 permits), and more in the table above. Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 290?
47.2% of GMU 290, 86,870 of its 184,174 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is Bureau of Reclamation. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 290?
George is inside the unit. Just outside: Moses Lake (2 miles), Warden (3 miles) and Royal City (5 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 290
Beginning at Interstate Hwy (I)-90 and Beverly Burke Rd SW, SW of the town of George; E on I-90 to State Route (SR) 17; S on SR 17 to SR 262; W on SR 262 to Frenchman Hills Rd SW; W on Frenchman Hills Rd SW to Beverly Burke Rd SW; N along Beverly Burke Rd SW to I-90 and the point of beginning.
From WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, Game Management Unit Descriptions.
Get a Washington hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Washington are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Washington included.
Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters, days and success: WDFW Game Harvest Reports.
- Seasons, special permits, applicants and points: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations.
- Public land: WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. GMU boundary: WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from WDFW and the State of Washington, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag. WDFW's regulations are the final word on every rule.
Washington hunting Washington deer by GMU Region 2 GMU 272 GMU 278